The Master of Music in Music Education is offered online only. This degree provides an avenue for choral, instrumental and general music teachers to develop and refine their professional skills as teachers.

The Ph.D. in Music Education is for students seeking leadership positions in music education in schools, colleges and universities.

Admission Requirements

M.M.: Prior degree in MUED; official transcript(s); 3.0 GPA; three letters of recommendation; resume; statement of career goals; and a current, accredited U.S. teaching certificate.

Ph.D.: Prior degree in Music Education; current and valid state teaching license earned from an accredited US university program; three letters of professional and pedagogical reference; scholarly writing sample of related discipline; statement of philosophy for pursuit of the Ph.D. degree; video/DVD sample of school music teaching; minimum three years of successful teaching experience at elementary and/or secondary levels; resume or curriculum vitae of professional musical and teaching work; official transcript(s); 3.0 GPA; and committee interview with Music Education Faculty (voice, video or personal campus visit).

Graduation Requirements

M.M.: Minimum of 30 total credit hours.

Ph.D.: Minimum 75 total credit hours. The student must complete a residency requirement of 9 hours (minimum) each year until Qualifying Exams.

Thesis/ Dissertation

M.M.: Students may select one of the following options: a thesis option, an essay and recital option, a two-recital option, or a coursework option depending on their major.

All students writing a thesis or essay must pass a final oral examination covering the thesis or essay and the student’s major area of study. A student electing the two-recital option must pass a final oral examination covering literature performed in recitals and the student’s areas of performance and study in the degree. Those completing a coursework option must pass a final oral examination covering all of the coursework in the master’s degree program. The final oral examination may be attempted two times.

Ph.D.: Students must complete a dissertation. A doctoral candidate cannot enroll in dissertation until after successfully passing the candidacy examination. Upon admission to candidacy, a doctoral candidate must register for Dissertation I for a total 30 hours. A doctoral candidate is expected to continuously register for Dissertation I, and thereafter, Dissertation II, each semester, including summer, until all requirements for the degree have been met.

The doctoral program has a research tool requirement. Students satisfy this requirement by taking 9 credit hours of Research Literacy coursework. The purpose of this requirement is to assure that doctoral-level students have prerequisite skills for completing independent research activity. All research toll requirements must be passed before the student is permitted to attempt the candidacy examination.

Candidacy

For the Ph.D., this examination will normally be taken when the student has substantially completed his/her coursework and has received the consent of the advisory committee to attempt the examination. The written portion of the examination will cover the major and supportive areas of study and will be followed by a comprehensive oral examination. Students who fail the candidacy examination two times will be dismissed from the doctoral program.

Accreditation

National Association of Schools of Music; National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

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